


Reflections in the Water

by HumanSuggestion



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Classical Music, Conservatory AU, Diana is a mess, F/F, I'm a mess as well, Internalized Homophobia, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pianist Akko, Pianist Diana
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2020-09-27 00:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20398681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HumanSuggestion/pseuds/HumanSuggestion
Summary: After Akko's acceptance into the prestigious Luna Nova Conservatory, she finds herself in a new world filled with drama, pain, and worst of all practice. Lots and lots of practice... every aspiring classical pianist's worst nightmare.Basically, Little Witch Academia as a piano conservatory AU. I've always had a passion and an interest in classical music and I wanted to share my love for the genre to you all! I kinda want my fic to function something similar to how Your Lie in April/Nodame Cantabile/Forest of Piano affected me. I want you to read my chapters and get interested in the subject, listen to more of the composers, get really wrapped up in the beautiful sounds found in the piece.If you already have an interest in classical and would like more listening suggestions, this fic is for you! If you've never listened to a lick of classical (other than in movies) but are willing to expand your tastes, this fic is also for you!





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> Basically how this fic is going to work is, if there is going to be a section in which someone is playing something, I'll post the link at the beginning notes. Feel free to listen while reading, or listen first and then read. There really isn't a right way to do this. But I would strongly recommend listening to the piece and really focusing on it. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz3TqZtAkeQ
> 
> We start off the fic with a bang, Scriabin's Etude Op. 8 No. 12, probably one of my favorite pieces being played by my favorite pianists, Vladimir Horowitz. His interpretation of the piece is honestly pretty striking as most people tend to showcase more of the "passion" and "fire" while Horowitz really highlights the serenity in the piece showcasing a lot more of the nuances that are scattered throughout the piece.
> 
> When listening to his interpretation don't just focus on just how incredibly hard and difficult the piece is but try to also get swept up in the passion. From the rapidly changing dynamics (from loud to soft), the beautiful crystal clear melodies, to the constant change in emotion, this is a piece that represents a rapturous ascent into madness. Enjoy the beauty that Horowitz and Scriabin both have to offer to you.

A steady stream of notes permeated the concert hall, filling one’s heart with joy and sadness. A melancholy feeling began to invade the hearts of those listening. Hands moved across the keys soaring to and fro. Red hair flying about as two hands intertwined in a beautiful dance complemented by a sonorous melody. 

An encore performance like none other. 

** _Powerful octaves accompany a passionate melody, churning like a majestic storm. Back and forth does the left hand partake in a frenzied dance stepping to and fro in intricate patterns. Whilst the right hand jolts as it hammers in the keys, locking onto its intended target like a precise beam, each note ringing out like a funeral toll. This tempest is wild and uncontrollable sometimes plummeting into pure, unhinged, rapture while sometimes slipping away into a quiet whisper. _ **

** _Patetico: The first word found in the score of the piece. Derived from the Greek word pathos (with feeling). Passionate. Intense. Raging. Back to a time when pathetic meant emotive rather than pitiful. _ **

** _The theme is restated twice before the piece moves onto a quiet lull. The melody develops, morphing into a beautiful aria. Chills begin to form amongst the crowd, as they listen completely transfixed into a reverie. The right hand purrs a near silent melody, reverberating across the concert hall, piercing the hearts of those in the audience. _ **

Out in the audience was a little blonde British girl, watching the intense battle unfold in front of her. Her eyes sparkled as she was entranced by the playing. 

** _The melody soon takes a turn as it morphs again through a powerful, passionate, painful progression. Both hands begin to rake the piano as the keys cry out and a beautiful dissonance begins to overtake the piece. Tension rises, the piece develops, louder and louder, hammers banging and smashing each key like clockwork._ **

** _Then quiet, a calm before the storm. _ **

** _Then a rapturous transition overtakes the piece. _ **

** _Back to the beginning. _ **

** _As the beginning is finally restated, the crowd tenses as the song begins to quiet down. Something big, something ravenous is about to burst out of the piano. The sudden rumbling begins to shake the earth as the piece is rapidly thrust onto the ending. A wild and intense coda, screaming out, barking like a ravenous dog. _ **

** _Churning. Wild. Intense. Fire. _ **

** _Then silence. _ **

** _Not the same silence as the one before. A chilling silence, like a record scratch. _ **

Eyes drifted towards the pianist, gripping her wrist, as she stopped playing, walking out of the stage. “Carpal tunnel” is the phrase that the little girl hears, as the audience mumbled. Unable to understand, the little girl looked at the curtains closing, seeing for the first time in her life, a dream deferred, a career crushed.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the introduction to the fic! This is the start of a brand new adventure, Get Excited! If you'd like to listen to more Scriabin, what you'll find is that a lot of his music really doesn't sound like the piece you just heard. Scriabin was an interesting fellow, part of the Russian School of Music, he was super into mysticism and had a mental cognition anomaly called synesthesia where basically he could hear notes and see colors (i.e. a C Major chord was a sky blue). But in essence, he would be called a kook if he was alive today. To show just how weird he was he wrote a huge gigantic unfinished week-long musical work called Mysterium... WEEK LONG. He intended the performance to be in the foothills of the Himalayas in India, and after playing the week-long piece, what would supposedly follow would be the end of the world. Thankfully he didn't manage to complete it due to his death in 1915.
> 
> But anyways a lot of his music represents that mysticism he really was passionate about shown through his works like Scriabin's White Mass Sonata (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE-riazUvJE a huge acid trip to listen to).
> 
> He was also obsessed with conveying his synesthesia to the audience as shown in his orchestral work Prometheus (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3B7uQ5K0IU here's an interpretation in which they used lights to showcase the colors that Scriabin tried to convey.)
> 
> But my favorite Scriabin piece of all time is definitely his Poeme de L'extase (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOjQ4j9bLvg). Drawing both from his religious/mystical background and his synesthesia this piece is a culmination of all that makes Scriabin great. Remember how I said he saw a C Major chord as a calming light blue? Well, basically this entire piece just builds up to that C Major chord. Its just tension after tension after tension like a soda can ready to explode and then once that glorious C Major chord hits... I just get chills thinking about it.
> 
> So here are some pieces I'd recommend giving a listen to. You can listen to one... or all... or none. I'm just here to give suggestions in the hopes that someone finds this interesting...


	2. (Akko) Part A: Allegro con Spirito

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://youtu.be/O8G7BsXg7X4
> 
> This chapter's performance shall be Martha Argerich's performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1. Again one of my favorite recordings of one of my favorite performers playing one of my favorite pieces. Martha Argerich is honestly a queen when it comes to playing the piano. 
> 
> Basically, a piano concerto is a massive piece for orchestra and piano in which the main goal is to showcase the pianist's talents. It's basically one big flex for the performer and the composer. Take a listen to Argerich's sheer virtuosity but also focus on the stormy nature of the piece. It's grand, it's triumphant, it's glorious. The piece goes from section to section transitioning to and fro from anger to passion to melancholy to joy. It's one big adventure that Tchaikovsky is trying to take you along filled with ups and downs.

\---- 12 years later ----

“You ready for the big day, Akko?”

“As ready as I'll ever be, Mom.” chirped Akko as she began to unload her luggage from her parent’s car. Her father stepped out of the vehicle before wrapping his arms around Akko in a bone-crushing hug. 

Teary-eyed he sighed, “Make sure to call us when you get off of your flight. Also if you ever need anything just give us a call and we’ll do our damndest to bring it to you, even if it means flying all the way from Los Angeles to London... I’m sure as hell gonna miss hearing your piano playing, especially at 2 am in the morning.” 

“It was one time Dad…” muttered Akko holding back tears “I’m gonna miss you both... To be honest, I’m a little scared but I promise you I’m gonna make it big as the world’s number one pianist… err number two pianist, second only to Chariot of course.”

“Atta girl… Make sure to give both of us tickets to your world-class concerts one day,” commented Akko’s mother, before coming together in a group hug. 

“Will do Mom… I guess this is goodbye.” lamented Akko 

Akko was twenty-one.

Akko was enthusiastic.

Akko was brimming with excitement and energy for her new chapter in the prestigious Luna Nova Conservatory, one of the biggest and oldest musical institutions in the world, where the best of the best shine like stars amongst the greats. 

As she broke off from her parents’ hug she carried her bags inside the Los Angeles International Airport. She checked in and received her boarding pass, before dropping off her baggage. She headed over to security and then found her terminal. This was something all too familiar with Akko, having to travel by plane across the United States for concerts and competitions. As she waited for her plane to arrive she plugged her earphones onto her phone and played her favorite recording of Tchaikovsky’s 1st Piano Concerto in B Flat Minor, Chariot’s recording.

  


** _Horns blare and roar a stately introduction and then the piano comes in with wonderfully rich chords accompanying the beautiful melody played by the strings. The piano does not obscure, it complements, nor does it fade into the background. Finally, the orchestra backs down letting the piano play the main melody, copying the strings but with the force of a hammer reverberating through Akko’s soul. It’s majestic, triumphant, and confident. _ **

** _The orchestra and the piano intertwine partaking in a dialogue that words cannot transcend. The dialogue transforms into a steady back and forth increasing in intensity. The piano breaks the conversation with a flurry of rapid octave notes before entering into it’s first of many cadenzas._ **

** _Cadenza: A virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other work. Typically used to show off the pianist’s talents._ **

** _Chariots hands strike four notes with an intensity like no other, ringing out across the concert hall. Then, her fingers change from rich and dynamic to nimble and light as her fingers race through almost all 88 keys of the keyboard. Four notes toll followed by a series of terrifyingly rapid 64th notes. Six times does the piano repeat this series of events increasing in excitement before reaching its summit. Then the piece quiets down as the silence keeps you yearning for more. Then… the piano begins to descend ever so lightly, like a falling feather, before a gust of wind sweeps it away. The cadenza is finished._ **

** _The piano and the orchestra continue their conversation, chattering like long lost acquaintances. The conversation slows to a steady stop before the piano helps transition back into the beginning of the piece. The orchestra booms as the piano excitedly joins in, dancing across its 88 keys. _ **

** _The melody shifts and changes, a testament to Tchaikovsky’s genius as the piece develops its several established themes into an ominous sequence punctuated with snippets from the beginning._ **

** _Akko’s favorite part comes up, the horrifically complex and difficult octave cadenza, a pianist’s worst nightmare. The tension rises and rises until it reaches its peak, spiraling out of control. The orchestra booms into life as the pianist hands in unison play a stream of crazed octaves in an almost superhuman speed, so fast that the orchestra struggles to catch up with the pianist. Finally the tension is finally released as the octaves begin to slow down and ending finally with a low C bringing the section to a close. _ **

Suddenly an announcement in the air stated that it’s time for boarding. Sighing, Akko turned off the playing and finally got onto the plane. Now, on the plane, she was left to think. She imagined her life in the Luna Nova Conservatory being taught by the one and only Chariot DuNord. Her. Idol. 

From the moment Akko was a child she was touched by the beautiful playing of Chariot Du Nord. Ever since her own parents took her to her first Chariot concert she had been trying her best to follow in her idol’s footsteps. She loved the feeling the piano gave to others as well as herself. She wanted to change the hearts of people as Chariot did oh so many years ago. 

It mattered especially to her because she felt herself that classical music was slowly becoming more and more antiquated and disregarded by modern culture. She wanted to inspire a new generation of pianists to enjoy the joys of classical music and get engrossed in the wonderful world that composers like Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms had to offer. She was going to do anything to bring her vision into the light, leading the charge in bringing in a new era of classical piano music like no other.

So now she found herself in Luna Nova seeking the guidance of her idol Chariot. Akko in a string of luck managed to get her as a teacher for her piano performance class and is determined to do whatever it takes to have her as a personal mentor. She’d be willing to wash her chalkboard or scrape gum off of her tables or grade papers, anything to let, the one and only, Chariot put Akko under her wing. 

As she imagined the potential growth as a pianist in Luna Nova, her eyes slowly fluttered close as her body was pulled into a deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tchaikovsky's is one of the few composers that managed to survive the test of time as you can hear a lot of his music today. For instance, the Nutcracker Suite (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8J8urC_8Jw, you'd probably recognize the most if not all of the melodies found in the work from Christmas movies). 
> 
> You'd probably also recognize the 1812 Overture (https://youtu.be/VbxgYlcNxE8?t=836 HEADPHONE WARNING) where he planned to use ACTUAL CANNONS for the performance of his piece. Or his Swan Lake/Sleeping Beauty Ballets (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd4VsbM4fOo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sb8WCPjPDs here are two of the more recognizable pieces from both ballets).
> 
> But Tchaikovsky's story is so fascinating to hear about. I think a lot of us tend to forget about the fact that these composers and performers are still human... especially when you hear these grand pieces. But he actually suffered from a huge bout of depression and anxiety. His balance between melancholy and joy is really what gives his music that specific flavor and probably served in making his music so memorable. In a letter from the spring of 1870, shortly after his thirtieth birthday, Tchaikovsky writes:
> 
> "I am sitting at the open window (at four a.m.) and breathing the lovely air of a spring morning… Life is still good, [and] it is worth living on a May morning… I assert that life is beautiful in spite of everything! This “everything” includes the following items: 1. Illness; I am getting much too stout, and my nerves are all to pieces. 2. The Conservatoire oppresses me to extinction; I am more and more convinced that I am absolutely unfitted to teach the theory of music. 3. My pecuniary situation is very bad. 4. I am very doubtful if Undine will be performed. I have heard that they are likely to throw me over.
> 
> In a word, there are many thorns, but the roses are there too."
> 
> His music really represents that mindset of thorns and roses. Here's another anecdote about his anxiousness, he would get so nervous while conducting he would think that his head was going to fall off and would even hold his head up with one hand while in front of the orchestra! 
> 
> The performer for the piece you listened to in the fic (Martha Argerich) suffered from anxiety while performing as well. Whenever a really hard section would come up (like the octave cadenza https://youtu.be/ItSJ_woWnmk?t=512) she would get so anxious that her hands would start to speed up uncontrollably. She would end up playing SO FAST that she would often catch the orchestra by surprise. (Here's a video that showcases this phenomenon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBSEUJWy2qE she's a bean).
> 
> So yea... these amazing performers and composers are still human and get nervous just like you and I do.


	3. (Akko) Part B: Staccato

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! heh... in all honestly it's probably more of a welcome back than a hello... but anyways. Yeah, it's been a hell of a year since I last posted a chapter. The college has definitely challenged me a lot more than expected... heh. 
> 
> However! That does not mean that this fic is finished. Frankly, I used that time to write up a lot more of this fic... and when I say a lot more I mean A LOT more. So do expect more consistent uploads with longer chapters (YAY). Probably during the weekends as that's when I'll probably find the time. 
> 
> Frankly, a part of me wanted to quit on the fic, mostly due to the anxiety that people probably would have lost interest... but alas "the SHOW must go on". Thankfully to the wise words of a good friend who once told me,
> 
> "I don't care how long you have to take to finish... I'll wait" 
> 
> I now have a little bit more confidence in myself.
> 
> ____
> 
> Anyways back to the fic. Today's performance will be Glenn Gould's performance of Bach's Italian Concerto.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6JjZX3YPRM
> 
> The name is kind of a misnomer, as you might remember from the last chapter that a Concerto is typically a work associated with a solo instrument (piano, violin, etc) backed up by an orchestra. 
> 
> However, Bach's Italian Concerto is written for solo piano. But the music still has the same amount of energy as a regular concerto so DON'T fret. Bach's got your back (or shall I say bach :3) when it comes to bombast. 
> 
> Again this is an interactive fic, so please feel free to play the music in the background while reading or listen along to the bolded passages in the writing.

Akko’s first day in London started off atrociously. After a horrific plane ride surrounded by noisy children, in which Akko had to deal with a particularly irksome boy constantly kicking her chair, she just about had it with airplanes. 

Arriving in London she got onto a taxi cab and headed over to her dormitory. Only after paying a hefty fund to the driver, Akko realized she got swindled. Rather than taking the promised “shortcut”, the driver took an awfully lengthy detour. But, finally, arriving at her dormitory she came to her room before realizing that her room was occupied by two girls. 

Akko tried to hold in her exhaustion. “h-Hello! My name is Atsuko Kagari… you can just call me Akko! Nice to meet you!” 

“Likewise, my name is Lotte and this is Sucy and we’re both second years at the conservatory studying vocal performance and composition respectively. We’re both super excited to meet you, being the new transfer student after all!” Lotte chirps.

“Awwww you guys are the sweetest... ehh... I play the piano and stuff… I also really love listening to classical mus- OH. I want to be the world’s greatest pianist! Like my idol! Chariot Du Nord! I LOVE her piano, I’ve listened to her ever since I was a kid. DidyouknowthatChariot…”

Both Lotte and Sucy giggled at the pure enthusiasm and joy Akko expressed as she drawled onto a huge monologue. They found Akko to be a new change of pace and found her excitement for music revitalizing and refreshing. 

“You surely have had to listen to her music right?” Akko asked.

“o-Oh sorry… I don’t really listen to a lot of piano music so the more obscure pianists kinda escape me.” sputtered Lotte

“EEEEHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!” Akko screamed as she ran over to ram two earbuds onto Lotte’s ears. “Firstly, Chariot is not  _ obscure _ . Secondly, you like choral music right? You have to listen to her Bach then.”

Lotte looked over a mildly worried Sucy before closing her eyes and focusing on the music playing before her.

** _The piece starts off with quite literally a bang as the main theme is stated. The sheer ferocity found in the piece is unparalleled as the piece manages to showcase its power while also maintaining a sense of regality. _ **

** _Italian Concerto in F Major, one of Bach’s seminal keyboard pieces. Structured and systematic but also unique and unorthodox. It’s a particularly intriguing piece as it is called a concerto: _ **

** _“A musical composition for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra.” _ **

** _However, the piece is written for only the keyboard. Its grandeur, however, is not detracted in any way shape or form. _ **

** _Chariot’s hands strike the keys with such elegance as differing voices combine and contrast creating the effect of a bustling orchestra. Huge orchestral hits and recreated through the rich striking chords of the piano, while the differing instruments are shown through the intricate phrasing of each individual melody. Two hands magically morph into a full scale orchestra right before Lotte’s ears._ **

** _Lotte drifts onto a reverie as she’s transported into an ethereal realm surrounded by the sonorous keys of the piano. The piece undergoes an episodic adventure as the initial theme interchanges with sections of contrasting character. Back and forth does the piece switch from the main theme to differing subjects using fragments of the initial melody._ **

** _Finally, the piece returns to the initial theme as two hands meticulously glide across the piano. Each note precise, each note hitting its intended target. The song ends with a regal finish as each struck chord rings towards Lotte’s heart._ **

Lotte snapped out of her reverie as big crimson eyes dazzled in front of her. Sucy looked over with confusion and curiosity.

“Sounds really good right?” Akko stated triumphantly

Lotte pondered, “Yeah, I enjoyed it a lot actually! I’ll give her a listen later when I have the time. You seem to really be passionate about Chariot. What brought you to her in the first place?” 

Akko moved a little closer to the two. 

“It’s actually a really funny story. When I was around four I first picked up the piano, I had a so-called ‘talent’ for it but it wasn’t really anything I was super passionate about so I would practice for about 1 to 2 hours a day. But when I was around the age of 8 my Mom took me to my first piano concert and I got to see her play live. I don’t remember what she played exactly but I do remember the feeling it gave me.” 

Akko’s eyes began to sparkle, “I’ve never felt anything like it, I think it was the first time I actually cried in a performance in my entire life. I was hit with such a crazy amount of emotions, I was happy. I was sad. It was crazy! I felt like I could reach out and touch the notes she was playing if I tried hard enough.”

Lotte and Sucy both looked at each other and at the wildly gesticulating girl in front of them.

“So I tried. I tried and I tried and I tried again and again. To try to replicate Chariot. To try to emulate what I felt oh so many years ago. I kept pushing myself and now here I am in Luna Nova.” 

Lotte and Sucy both smiled at Akko. Her pure enthusiasm for piano exactly echoed their own excitement for music… even if it was mostly jaded due to the rigors of music school. As they reminisced about their own past… Akko’s face suddenly paled.

“Oh crap… I’m late, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!!!! Uhhh Sucy… Lotte… It was nice meeting you… two you seem like amazing people. I gotta head over to orientation… which is in about… 5 minutes past now.” Akko ran out of the dormitory dashing over to the main auditorium.

Lotte tried to run up to catch Akko, “Wa-Wait Akko! You have…to… hah… christ, she runs fast…”

Sucy walked over to Lotte, chuckling at the stammering and panting Lotte. “She reminds me of an equally awkward and excited Lotte from last year.”

“Oh shut up Sucy, you were just a mess as I was last year from what I remember” Lotte smirks.

Lotte and Sucy both squabbled as they walked back to their dorm.

  
  


____

  
  


Just outside the auditorium, Akko made out vague outlines of a speech being presented.

“…Class of 20…it is…a.n.. ho..nor as your headmaster to be openi… to a bet…r future…”

_ Shit, I’m soo late. _

Akko stepped right before the massive double doors opening into the auditorium. She swallowed and slowly opened the two doors.

What she didn’t realize at first was just how loud those two doors would creak open… what she didn’t realize as well was how underdressed Akko was… that was until she realized each and every student was wearing their school uniform. 

Suddenly a brown haired lady with an irritable temperament stood up. “What is the meaning of this interruption! We are undergoing a very esteemed orientation, now is not the time to come barging in so rudely, completely interrupting the headmaster’s speech!”

“Eeeh, s-sorry… heh… I-I think I’m in the wrong auditorium… s-sorry!” 

Akko tried to scramble out of the auditorium before hearing the headmaster call out her name. 

“Atsuko Kagari! Firstly, Professor Finnelan you may sit back down. Secondly Atsuko, would you rather prefer Akko or Atsuko?”

“umm… Akko”

“Alright, Akko, you come to the orientation late, you came in the middle of my speech, completely interrupted it, and you aren’t following the proper dress code of the conservatory from the looks of it. What gives me a reason for me not to expel you?”

“I-…I… should go” Akko deflated.

“But wait! You’ve obviously shown your talents being admitted to this prestigious conservatory in the first place. You’ve auditioned, performed, submitted your application like all these amazing students have had. Please, as headmaster of Luna Nova Academy of the Arts, I implore you to sit down and listen to the rest of orientation. You are just as much of a part of Luna Nova as everyone else here beside you.”

Akko’s eyes started to tear up as she thanked the headmaster and headed to the nearest empty seat. 

“Now… where was I?..”

Akko started listening intensely at the speech but found herself slowly daydreaming more and more about where her life has ended up. She hoped she didn’t make too much of a bad impression on the faculty at the conservatory. The last thing she wanted to do was get kicked out. She sighed, looking around at the new students.

_ So much for first impressions…  _

“Now, here to give a speech today please welcome Diana Cavendish, the school’s youngest student union president, to the stage.”

Suddenly Akko’s eyes drifted as a blonde girl with striking blue eyes walked to the stage. Her eyes authoritative and her stature confident, everything, from her stance to the way she walked demanded attention. 

Poised, prim, and proper. 

“I’d like to give you all a formal welcome to the Luna Nova Academy of Arts. My name is Diana Cavendish and I will be serving as your student union president for this year. Echoing the words of Headmaster Holbrooke each and every one of you has worked hard to get to where you are today.”

Diana’s voice boomed across the auditorium as crimson eyes locked onto deep blue.

“The plight of a musician is a journey like no other, we love, we live, we laugh, and we learn. We spend countless hours honing our abilities, living in constant doubt that what we are doing is not enough. We practice as if we’re headed for last place, but perform as if we’re destined for first. “

Diana paused, glancing at her manuscript in front of her, before continuing.

“A musician’s life is one of constant anxiety and stress, but it also is a life that can produce something that transcends beyond words. Through our blood, sweat, and tears we can pull at the heartstrings of humanity, shape culture, and sway kingdoms. It can be the cause of rebellion and revolt, the product of culture and society, the catalyst for change and contemplation. Music is a power like no other and it’s a gift that you all have been wonderfully blessed with.” 

Akko found herself completely transfixed by Diana’s words taking in each word like drops of honey. 

_ She’s beautiful… _

“A wonderful mentor in my life always described the art of composing and the edification of music as walking up a spiral staircase. You constantly go on this grand adventure increasing your level of comprehension as you keep persisting on forward. The journey seems endless and tiring as you traverse each step. You circle around and around endlessly with no true goal in sight. But as you look down you realize just how far you’ve traversed, how much you’ve learned, how greatly you’ve grown as a musician.”

Diana’s eyes seemed to glisten like stars on a beautiful night sky as her words began to ring inwards towards Akko’s soul.

“You can be in the same position you were when you started off but several stories taller. So, I implore you to keep climbing the impossible, keep transcending the infinite, keep traversing the unknown… You might just find yourself becoming a completely different person than who you were when you first started your journey. Thank you.”

A wave of thunderous applause enveloped the auditorium as Akko found herself completely starstruck by Diana Cavendish.

She was never embarrassed about her sexuality. Ever since she was a child she always found interest in the fairer sex whether it was through her fascination with Chariot or through the myriad of female comic book characters. She wasn’t ever anxious to tell her parents about her orientation either, as they would love her regardless of which gender she loved.

So she experimented, going on dates with other interested girls her age. But most of them always seemed to end sour, no one ever really managed to ‘unlock the doors to her heart’ as she so aptly put it. 

But after hearing Diana’s speech she found herself completely head over heels, a sensation that Akko has never really felt before in her life.

After Diana walked off the stage, the rest of orientation seemed like an insignificant blip in Akko’s radar as she proceeded to daydream about a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed, girl.

______

Professor Finnelan pinched the bridge of her nose as she walked her way over to Headmaster Holbrooke’s office.

“Headmaster Holbrooke! What is the meaning of this blatant disregard for the academy’s policies and decorum? She comes in, rudely interrupting our prestigious opening ceremony underdressed and you welcome her with open arms!?”

The exhausted Headmaster sighed, “Anne… I assure you I'm not as naive and oblivious as I might come across. If there was one student to receive a free get out of jail card it would be Atsuko Kagari.”

“Headmaster… I fail to see what you are even referring to when it comes to that girl.”

“I strongly suggest you read into her profile, hell, even just a simple google search, and then talk to me once you’ve done your research.”

“Bu-!“ Finnelan stepped forward but the Headmaster cut her off.

“Not a word, Professor Finnelan,'' she muttered pointing to the door behind Finnelan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's artist showcase is (as you can infer) Johann Sebastian Bach. The man, the myth, the legend. He's one of the few composers who've managed to stand the test of time as his music is still being heard today in popular culture.
> 
> Some examples you all have heard from pop culture would be:
> 
> Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMNof7QZuGo (commonly played in weddings). 
> 
> Or his Toccata and Fugue in d minor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho9rZjlsyYY (think Bram Stoker's Dracula). 
> 
> OR even the prelude from his Cello Suite no. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1prweT95Mo0 (probably one of the most played cello pieces to date).
> 
> But outside of these popular pieces the effect that Bach had on classical music (the genre) is immense. I think if you were to go back and ask famous composers from later eras who their main inspirations are, the first name you would hear would be Bach. 
> 
> His entire Well-Tempered Clavier books have literally been nicknamed the Old Testament of Classical Keyboard Music:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlXDJhLeShg&t=2s
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hms_PF_CKV4
> 
> It's named this way for good reason as well, as it inspired countless composers to emulate his style, taking his melodies, harmonies, and rhythmic ideas and making it their own. 
> 
> His Goldberg Variations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15ezpwCHtJs, 
> 
> and The Art of the Fugue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9OUfBDIGhw, took musical ideas to its logical extreme. Creating monstrous works using only a single sparse melody.
> 
> These works showcase his genius in pure melodic conservation. Nothing is wasted, nothing is recklessly thrown in, and every single note in his music seems to have a complete logical purpose. Which is, safe to say, a lot harder to find in later, more ostentatious composers. 
> 
> But the majority of the pieces I've stated are just for the keyboard. I personally think a lot of his genius shines in his choral works. His Mass in b minor probably stands as one of the most amazing pieces written for choir (a personal favorite of Lotte) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FLbiDrn8IE. 
> 
> His cantatas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODjl6A3v6b0 have also been used as choices of the study of counterpoint (the study of creating and mixing independent melodies) for countless years. 
> 
> Much to the chagrin of exhausted music students (I can personally vouch for this having had suffered through my fair share of Music Theory courses).
> 
> CHRIST, I cannot describe how prolific, genius, amazing, insightful Bach is. Feel free to play him in the background (he makes great study music...)
> 
> I know I probably am overwhelming you all with the amount of Bach stuff... but I just want to express my love and admiration for him as a composer. He *IS* considered the granddaddy of Western Classical music, and for good reason. After all, we probably wouldn't have had half of the amazing classical music we have today if it weren't for him and his genius.
> 
> Thank you all for giving me a read and expect much more soon! As for now to keep you sated as you wait, please give Bach a chance.


	4. (Diana): Allegro Affettuoso

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoooo, it is currently 3 in the morning and I'm delirious while also hyped up on coffee. LET'S DO THIS! As you may already infer from the title, we'll be switching perspectives to Diana this time. As for our piece showcase, we have, TWO pieces this time both composed by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. How wonderful!
> 
> The first piece is Liszt's Fourth Transcendental Etude, Mazeppa. This is based on the story/poem of Ivan Mazeppa. 
> 
> Born in Lithuania under nobility, he had an affair with a Polish princess who was already married. Once the husband found out he was none too pleased, punishing Mazeppa by stripping him naked and tying him to a horse that was set free to run in the wilderness… Legend goes he ended up in Ukraine, still alive, found by the Cossacks who then reigned him, king.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQPX_r7ifZA
> 
> The second piece is from Liszt's Third Concert Etude, Un Sospiro (A Sigh). This piece is a complete departure from the electrifying energy of Mazeppa. This piece is more like an ocean that starts off calm before become wild and tempestuous. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po_a1SmZKLs
> 
> Feel free to figure out what best suits you when it comes to listening to the pieces. In my humble opinion, I would probably listen to the first piece while reading, and then when it comes time for the second piece wait for the first recording to finish and then play the second recording. 
> 
> At the end of the day, it's entirely up to you as to how you would like to best experience the story so feel free to experiment! 
> 
> Happy Reading, and more importantly, Happy Listening!

“...ana …Diana… wake up you’re gonna miss class”

“Hannah…? What time is it?” Diana mumbled

“It’s 7:20 class starts in 40 minutes…” Hannah shook Diana awake.

Diana’s eyes burst open as she tossed her sheets off of her bed. 

_ Crap. Crap. Crap.  _

Diana was twenty one.

Diana was miserable.

Diana was tired of the constant doldrums of life as a pianist being forced to put up a mask at the famed Luna Nova Conservatory.

Scrambling onto her bathroom as she made do with what little time she had and spruced up to the best of her abilities. After clambering onto her school uniform she ran out of the building with an impatient Hannah and a worried Barbara, her two childhood friends.

Hannah 

“This better not be a reoccurring theme Diana… I want to make a good impression with our teachers and not risk the chance of getting kicked out.” murmured an exasperated Hannah.

“My apologies Hannah… I won’t make that mistake again.” apologized Diana “I’ve just been out of it lately and quite frankly I need to wake up.”

“We’ve given you a whole month to cry about your breakup with Andrew and now its time to start moving on.” muttered a worried Barbara

The three began their trek over to the Woodward Performance Building as Diana started to daydream about the ‘relationship’ she once had with Andrew. 

The relationship, if you could really call it that, was arranged by her aunt and Andrew’s father. To be honest, the breakup wasn’t necessarily the cleanest of breakups, it was the culmination of the strain of a long distance relationship and the stresses of dealing with her classes in Luna Nova. It started with an argument between the two and ended with tears and buckets of ice cream gifted from her two best friends. 

However, while Andrew was willing to see the relationship through, Diana was more or less reluctant of Andrew’s courtship. It wasn’t that she disliked him, Andrew was an actual nice man who more or less cared about the relationship they had together. The real problem stemmed from Diana, she had no attraction to him whatsoever which was ridiculous considering the multitude of women swooning over Andrew’s spectacular physique and charming personality. 

But really it was due to the fact that Diana was  _ lesbian _ . What a peculiar, intriguing word. A word hidden in the crevices of Diana’s abandoned heart. She tried really hard to find some inkling of attraction to Andrew, trying her damnedest to will the gay out of her. She battled with this internalized homophobia for months, struggling to come to terms with her sexual orientation. In her eyes, her life would be ten times better off if she were straight… right? I mean… just the thought of coming out to even her best friends terrified her. What if they were homophobic themselves? Who knows how long it would take before her secret gets out to the public. Her image would be ruined. 

But on the other hand, to be free and to find a partner that she herself can actually swoon over, to finally say the words “ _ My Girlfriend _ ”, even just imagining it, gives Diana a sense of happiness and joy like nothing else. 

So, Diana reasoned, it wasn’t necessarily the breakup that affected her so negatively. It was the stress of being a closeted lesbian who is now stuck in conservatory, forced to keep up a facade, with no real life goals or aspirations in mind to achieve. Oh, how Diana despaired...

Diana made her way inside of the building the three split ways and said their goodbyes before heading to their subsequent classes. Being a couple of minutes late to her class, she snuck into the room and found herself in an auditorium with a piano and what she presumed to be her teacher, Professor DuNord, speaking English in a slight French accent. She tiptoed around and managed to find a seat in the very back. 

“So today we’re going to be conducting our preliminary piano performance examinations. It’ll be really quick… and hopefully not to horrific considering you all had to audition to even get into the c onservatory in the first place.” the red headed teacher said, “we’re going to have you play a concert etude, it can be really just about any composer… except…”, she chuckled, “don’t bore us with Czerny or Hanon. I’ve just about had it with those two. Use this as a chance to show off your abilities”. 

After hearing the collective sigh and murmur of the class the teacher then asked for any volunteers. Immediately a brown haired girl raised her hand, standing up in the process. 

“I volunteer.” she yelped out. 

The collective class chuckled at her eagerness before quieting down as Akko moved towards the piano. 

“So what’s the piece you’re going to be playing today… Akko, was it?” 

“Yes, Akko… I will be playing Liszt’s fourth transcendental etude… Mazeppa”

Immediately Diana’s eyes raised. 

_ Mazeppa? How cocky, that’ll be interesting to see, let’s just hope it isn’t a total trainwreck…  _

The class started murmuring towards one another. 

The professor smiled before stating “Alright, let’s see what you got.”

** _The piece starts off with staggering chords rolling down the piano. Each finger glides along in unison marching their way down, Akko’s hands hit the keys like clockwork hammering with pure strength. She then transitions into a crazed cadenza, her fingers racing with precise, deft, movements. Up and down her hands traverse the 88 keys growing louder, more excited, and higher in pitch. Once she makes her ascent to the very top of the piano her hands come crashing down. _ **

** _A brief silence followed by an explosive hit._ **

** _The piece has now begun._ **

** _Mazeppa: One of the 12 transcendental etudes composed by Franz Liszt. Just playing one etude from this list takes years of study and practice, but Mazeppa is notorious for being known as one of, if not, the hardest piece from the bunch. This is a piece to be feared. Horrific jumps, fast tempo, intricate double thirds, octaves, a pianist’s worst nightmare. It’s a technical monstrosity to overcome._ **

** _Yet, Akko’s playing rings with such confidence and bravado. The ghost of Franz Liszt sings along with the piano as her hands play with such precision and accuracy. She hits perfectly note for note with such clarity and speed in such a manner that would leave most pianists disoriented._ **

Diana is absolutely astounded at the near-perfect technique in the pianist’s playing. She finds herself utterly helpless and enthralled by the playing. 

_ This girl is unreal, is she a robot?! _

** _The piece was inspired by a poem written about the legend of Ivan Mazeppa and the spirit of Mazeppa lives and breathes in this very piece, whether it be through the breathtakingly fast tempo, the galloping hooves in the middle register of the piano, or the grandiose triumphant theme._ **

** _After a horrifyingly monstrous octave cadenza, the piece quiets down as the left hand sings in a beautiful tenor as the right hand plays sweeps up and down the keyboard. _ **

Diana is brought back to her childhood memories. She first thought back to her first performance on stage and the immense amount of joy she felt expressing her emotions aloud. 

** _Akko, on the other hand, is starting to worry as she finds herself struggling to play more quietly and expressively. To her, playing anything loud and technique was never a real challenge. The real difficulty was slowing down and playing softly. She found herself trying to quell her frantic hands from jumping the gun and playing too loud or fast. What she had in technique and intensity, she lacked in calm and gentleness. _ **

** _Soon the melody shifts to the right hand as the main theme is accompanied by repeated thirds and left-hand chromatic runs up the piano. Il canto espressivo ed appassionate assai: Sung expressively with much passion. Akko sticks her tongue out as she’s finally back in her groove taking a deep breath and playing much more loose than before. _ **

Diana’s breath hitched.

_ Why the hell is she wasting her time in a conservatory! She should be touring all over the world when she’s brimming with that much talent… _

** _Now the piece transitions into a crazed, monstrous transition, hands begin to_ ** ** pick up speed as Akko finally unleashes them from their chains. Tension rises and rises before, finally, returning to the beginning.**

**The range of emotions differs drastically from section to section. One moment the piece is light and playful, hands frolicking lightly across the piano. Animato: Energetic. The main theme is more discreet and quiet. **

**Then the piece transforms into a rapid exultant restatement of the theme. Allegro deciso: Faster with spirit. The proverbial horse is now galloping at breakneck speed, as Akko’s hands whip back and forth. **

**The maelstrom in the piano reaches its peak and it quiets down. The horse has finally stopped. The piece turns solemn, dark, and quiet before an exultant ending explodes into the scene, triumphantly putting the song to a close.**

Diana found herself completely starstruck by this mysterious pianist. She hasn’t felt such an excitement for the piano in such a long time.

For the longest time, Diana forgot the immense amount of bliss listening to music can bring.

For the longest time, Diana forgot just how majestically the piano can ring out loud.

For the longest time, Diana forgot what it was that truly brought her to piano. 

And it took one girl to completely change her perspective forever.

Diana’s thoughts were interrupted by the professor’s commentary.

“Well, that was certainly excellent playing Akko! I’m quite impressed. Your octaves, double thirds, and overall technique was absolutely superb. However there are some kinks that need to be ironed out, I feel that there was an over usage of the pedal. Make sure to listen to more interpretations of pianists accenting the galloping hooves of the horse for the piece. Also remember there’s a difference between passion and intensity, you’ve definitely shown intensity but I want to see more passion. Try to work on the dynamics of the piece and phrasing in measur...”

_ Akko... wasn’t she from the orientation? She has an accent… an American one. I’ve never seen anyone like her perform before. _

_ . _

_ . _

_ Well if she wants to show off to the class with a Liszt piece, two can play at that game.  _

After the long and hefty critique, the pianist dejectedly huffed before walking back to her seat. 

“Alright, class… well, who’s next? Chop. Chop. Let’s get these performances rolling” chirped the Professor.

The class shifted uncomfortably… after all, who would want to play after that act? However, a single hand rose above the crowd. 

Diana’s lone voice rang out in the auditorium

“I volunteer” 

____

Diana was a child prodigy who began touring all over England at the age of 14. She started off playing the piano at the age of 5 after listening to her own mother perform in recitals. The beautiful sounds and timbres left a lasting impression on Diana as she found herself engrossed in classical piano. 

Her passion for music and piano was fueled by her memories of her mother. She picked it up quite rapidly and she found herself with a natural talent for the craft. She was also a hard worker as well, willing to put in the hours to become the best pianist England had to offer. But that all came crashing down after the death of her mother when Diana was 17.

She suffered through a massive blow being hit with depression and she swore off the piano completely. It was only until her aunt, after repeated complaints, imposed Diana with the harsh realities of life. She was either to play the piano or accomplish nothing with her life. She was already so far into her piano career to the point where there was no turning back. 

So she kept playing. To her, her talent was a crippling weight on her shoulders as she constantly had to play to impress and she lost her will to enjoy listening to music. Her ears grew numb as her heart turned to stone.

But after one performance from a very intriguing brunette, she finds herself reimagining what it truly meant to play music.

“Ah yes! Diana… our star student! What will you be performing today?” mused Chariot

“Liszt’s third concert etude, Un Sospiro”

The professor’s eyes twinkled before remarking, “Let’s see what you have to offer today.”

Diana walked over to the piano but as she made her way forward, her eyes wandered onto Akko’s. 

“G-good luck…” Akko whispered.

They both broke eye contact and Diana managed to maneuver and sit down onto the piano chair.

_ Be calm. Be calm. You got this… I've never been this nervous before playing in front of a crowd. What’s wrong with you?  _

Her hands laid on top of the keys anxious and reluctant… but after taking a deep breath Diana dove right in.

** _The piece starts off with the piano rolling back and forth across the ivory keys. _ **

** _Diana’s hands meticulously paint the main melody, dropping notes with grace and beauty, crossing back and forth, like raindrops striking crystal. Left and right do they alternate, superimposed over a smooth and flowing arpeggio in the background. _ **

** _She shows restraint and poise to her movements and with careful attention each individual melodic note is expressed. The piece sighs out a beautiful nostalgic aria as her hands swirl together in a beautiful dance. _ **

** _Un Sospiro: A sigh. One of three concert etudes written by Franz Liszt, and a study on hand crossing. While not as technically challenging as Mazeppa, the difficulty in this piece is found through expressiveness and clarity. _ **

** _Any ‘decent’ pianist can push through this piece like clockwork. _ **

** _But the real difficulty is shaping the melody properly while handling the arpeggios and hand crossings. It’s in the tiniest of nuances of playing that can make or break the beauty of this piece. This nuance can be found anywhere from the surging background, the crisp clarity of the melody, or the vivid evocation of nature found in the piece._ **

** _Raindrops gain in speed and tension as the melody ramps up in excitement. The melody is now played as broken up octaves, as the arpeggio below amps up in excitement. The melody switches ranges singing a painful tune. _ **

** _The piece then overflows in passion culminating in a beautiful ecstatic storm. _ **

** _A triumphant ravenous tempest overtakes the piano, waves crashing onto the sonorous shores of the piano. Passion incarnate possesses Diana and she’s completely lost to the beauty of the work. _ **

** _She finds herself, however, struggling to keep up with the intensity of the piece. Her hands seem to clump together and she finds herself struggling to play evenly._ **

_ Tsk there goes my perfect playthrough. Damn, I’m really out of my element today… _

** _However, she persists as she continues to weave together left and right hand. She then reaches the first of two cadenzas found in the piece. Her hands maneuver successfully as her hands triumphantly glide across the piano. _ **

** _The piece introduces a new subject, it’s a yearning melody. Diana lays out her emotions onto the piano. She’s vulnerable, anxious, worried. The keys ache as she plays a sequence of notes. She longs for freedom, for acceptance. The sound begins to overflow with pain. Each individual cell and fiber in her body burns to develop that raging fire inside._ **

** _Diana now delicately plays the second cadenza, soft and gliding. Like a feather swept away by a gust of wind. _ **

** _The piece now returns back to the original melody, but now evolved with additional flourishes and slight alterations to the melody. Diana’s hands are taken on an adventure, in which fragments of the original melody are developed. With each sequence of events Diana’s hands begin to slow down as the sweeping arpeggios begin to calm._ **

** _From a sweeping tempest, the piece calms into a steadily flowing river. The piece begins to quiet down as the piece is about to reach its final destination. The arpeggios slow to a halt as the piece has transformed into an introspective and solemn chord progression Anguish. Melancholy. Nostalgia. Holding in her tears she struggles as the piece comes to a close before finally… it extinguishes with one final breath. _ **

“That was a wonderfully passionate piece, Diana. I thoroughly enjoyed your interpretation of Un Sospiro and I think your flourishes are a really nice touch to the overall piece. But, and there always is a but, no one is exempt from piano criticism. I do feel you need to work on your technicality. Some of your arpeggios didn't flow all too well especially on measures 30 to 37-...”

Diana slumped onto her chair before looking at the crowd, eyes searching before finding her target. Her eyes locked onto Akko’s as they both communicate in a silent but sincere language. Akko’s features seemed to soften as a thousand words began to interchange between the two.

“-...You need to work on playing each note evenly, try practicing more with the metronome on a slower tempo to really get confident on your hand placement. You shouldn’t let that wonderfully passionate performance detract from the technical side of the performance”

Diana grimaced from the bluntness of Chariot’s criticism but as the critique came to a close she nodded and made her way back into her seat. 

As the class continued Diana’s eyes glazed over as pianist after pianist gave their all for their preliminary examinations. Her eyes flitted back and forth between the piano and the strange brunette. A small blush settled in on her face as she floated off into Neverland, daydreaming about a certain brown haired, red eyed girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment of "Reflections in the Water". 
> 
> Diana's character in the story is something that I really wanted to incorporate and mix into my story. She represents a lot of classical musicians in this world that suffer from depression yet still continue to play. It takes a huge mental toll to put in the hours for practice and performance, especially if your heart isn't into music. I figured it would make things more interesting to put a spin on the typical "pomp and circumstance" that might be found in most characterizations of Diana. 
> 
> Aka... I wanted to write Diana as a gay mess lmao, because aren't we all? I certainly am at least... 
> 
> Now onto our composer showcase. FRANZ LISZT. Europe's first SUPERSTAR. Widely regarded to be one of the greatest pianists of all time, he was one of the first celebrities in the modern sense. People would fawn over him and scream his name, he was all sex, drugs and rock and roll before half of those things even existed!
> 
> There's actually a term for the hysteria that accompanied him wherever he went. It was aptly called Lisztomania, feel free to read up on it, it makes for a really fun wiki read. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisztomania)
> 
> But aside from the craziness that accompanied him as a performer. His importance as a composer should not be understated. I think everyone (in terms of classical fanatics) has a time where they crave for bombast in music. For electrifying performances, for the fastest playing, for the most virtuosic of performances. That's where Liszt comes in...
> 
> Whereas Bach from the last chapter is economical, precise, and contemplative Liszt is emotive, passionate, triumphant. Liszt is like a cannon ready to explode. Take a look at his Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 as well as his Hungarian Rhapsody no. 6, it's explosive in every sense of the word.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdH1hSWGFGU
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhInwkq4nAw
> 
> I personally take a liking to (no. 6) mostly because of that amazing octave finale. It screams virtuosity like nothing else... Anyone who's played the piano can attest to just how ungodly that ending is. 
> 
> Many people think Liszt as pompous and verbose and, honestly, there are times where I feel that way too with his music. But the times where he does slow down, turning away from the bombast you can really see a lot of the passion and beauty in his music. My favorite example of this would be his Third Notturno, Liebesträume (Love's Dream). He really shows you just how much of a poet he can be when it comes to music.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4XEPdYO5mM
> 
> Or perhaps you can take a liking to the third of his six Grandes études de Paganini, La Campanella (Little Bell). This piece's melody was taken from Niccoló Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor. (Paganini was a huge inspiration to Liszt). 
> 
> In the actual concerto, Paganini incorporates an actual little bell in the piece. Thusly Liszt incorporates the upper high keys of the piano to represent that little bell ringing along. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiJcXAuOMNU
> 
> While most people recognize Liszt for his piano pieces, one must also recognize the impact Liszt had on the orchestra more importantly in the contribution to the symphonic poem. 
> 
> A symphonic poem is a piece of orchestral music, usually in a single continuous movement, which illustrates or evokes the content of a poem, short story, novel, painting, landscape, or other (non-musical) source. Liszt was the first to use this term in his 13 one-movement orchestral works.
> 
> Here's one based on the story of Hamlet.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf8m_215l00
> 
> While Liszt, a pure expression of passion, is definitely an extreme departure from the solemn, contemplative nature of Bach... I know... I think it's important to have an understanding of just how different classical music as a genre is and can be. 
> 
> Liszt is from the Romantic Era of Music (Romantic in the historical term, not the literal term) ranging from the 1800s till the 1910s. An era that was encapsulated by revolution, an industrial society that was destroying nature as people once knew it, and massive societal change. It was truly an emotional and passionate time. Which provides the context and backdrop towards Liszt's musicality in his compositions. Like Bach, Liszt's music was simply with the times. 
> 
> Overall I do hope you give Liszt a chance and find yourself engrossed in the passion and thrill that is always accompanied by his music.
> 
> Next week we'll find ourselves back in Akko's shoes! Until then, happy listening, and I'll see you all on the flip side!


	5. (Akko) Part A: Presto Legato, Ma Leggiero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY IT IS 3 o clock again. I apologize for the late submission, this month of July has been a pretty rough month mostly due to the fact that I'll be moving out of my home into another house. This has been a big pain in the ass due to the whole Covid-19 situation, but alas writing has provided me company alongside all of your comments, as well, which I really do appreciate. The comments yall write really keep me going when the going gets rough so I want to extend my thanks. 
> 
> On the other hand, this will be a music-light chapter. But don't fret as next week we'll be getting more music to listen to. On the other hand there are a couple of pieces that are mentioned albeit off-handedly. These three pieces are as follows:
> 
> Debussy's Etude no. 11 composed in 1915 as a group of 12 etudes. It's considered one of his late music masterpieces. But the difficulty of all the etudes in the bunch are not to be understated. As Debussy said himself that these etudes are "a warning to pianists not to take up the musical profession unless they have remarkable hands"  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOP9fygZTT8
> 
> Ligeti's Etude Bk. 2 no. 13 (Devil's Staircase). One of the only pieces I know that uses a FFFFFFFF (What's called a Forteissississississississimo). Basically the more F's the louder you should play... But overall it's a piece that invokes not only anxiety in the listener but the performer as well as it's an incredibly difficult piece to perform in terms of memorizing all of the dissonant notes but also in rhythmically complexity as well.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoLam2O3gtY
> 
> La Campanella makes an appearance from last chapter! It's one of my favorite pieces of all time so I figured I should do more of the piece justice. By the way, the fic references the ending to Campanella. It's in my opinion one of the hardest codas (endings) in a piece and frankly, it's rare to see a *live* performance of this piece that doesn't have a single mistake in the ending.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiJcXAuOMNU
> 
> These are simply mentioned in the story but feel free to listen to them in your own free time. 
> 
> As Always,  
Happy Reading, and more importantly, Happy Listening!

“I’m sorry Akko, you’ve shown a lot of potential in your playing but you still have a long way to go.”

“Which is why I  _ need _ you to be my mentor Professor Du Nord.“

Chariot sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before looking back again at the young girl in front of her. Akko reminded her of herself oh so many years ago, just as antsy and excited to learn, and while she does want to help Akko, Chariot simply can’t dedicate all that time and effort until she knows for a fact that Akko’s capable of handling the increased workload.

“Please… Professor. I’ll clean your tables, grade your assignments, perform 80 pieces for my midterms, anything!”

Chariot sighed, “Look, Akko, while I'm flattered that you’d be interested in studying under my name, added with the fact that I know about your past and  _ why  _ exactly you’ve come here, I simply can not and will not force someone to go through added rigors while also handling their school work, unless I know for a fact that they can handle it. I’ve only  _ known _ you for a couple days. Akko, give me more time to get to know you better.”

  
  


Akko locked eyes with Chariot, “Give me until the end of the first quarter… that’s all I need. Please, just let me prove to you that I can handle the load of work.”

“Alright, come talk to me after exams and I’ll decide for myself if you have what it takes.” 

____

  
  


Sucy was working on her latest composition scattering piles upon piles of crumpled music staff paper all over her desk. To the right of her, was Lotte, enjoying a wonderful read of her favorite novel series  _ Nightfall _ . They both had a long hard day of studying and classes and were both enjoying the steady lull of silence that filled the room. That was until they heard a groan come outside of the dorm room followed by three knocks.

“Hey… it’s Akko, is anyone here? I think I left my keys in the room.” 

Lotte stepped out of her bed before opening the door watching as Akko huffed, trudging past the two girls, before plopping down onto her bed. Both Lotte and Sucy glanced at the gloomy gal in worry. 

After a long day of classes, studying and finishing up homework in the library Akko was ready to call it a day. However, her main source of her exhaustion stemmed from one class, or perhaps, one person. 

“Hey… Akko? You doing alright?” Lotte approached Akko carefully. “Hard day of school?”

“Hey... Lotte. Do you know a girl by the name of Diana Cavendish?” mumbled Akko face down on her pillow

Lotte hesitated before facing Akko, “Yea, I know her… but I don’t really  _ know  _ know her. She’s pretty popular and famous in this school, plus she’s the student union president.”

Akko jumped towards Lotte, eyes blazing with a ferocity like no other. “Tell me everything you know about her.” 

“Ehh! S-she’s a pretty good pianist under a pretty well-known name. Apparently her whole family tree consists of famous musicians and Diana’s the next in line. Why the sudden curiosity?”

Sucy droned off at her desk. “Probably got upstaged by the prissy princess in class or something…”

Akko huffed. “No I didn’t… she just stole my thunder dammit. I had everything planned… I was supposed to be the one to capture Chariot’s attention and then she’d be amazed at my amazing skills and put me under her wing… that was until she came and completely-”

“Upstaged you” muttered a disinterested Sucy.

Akko rolled her eyes before continuing. “Anyways… what else can you tell me, Lotte? I need to scope out my competition.” 

Lotte looked at Akko quizzically. “Um… yea she’s pretty famous in the UK. She’s toured all over England. I hear rumors from people saying that she was forced to come to Luna Nova because of business connections with her name and the conservatory.”

“Any competition experience?” 

“Yea… she competed in tons of competitions all over the country. However, she hasn’t been competing or performing at all recently, I guess it’s for a break. She had an amazing track record when she did compete before.”

“Any  _ international  _ competition experience?”

“No, not from what I've heard.”

“Oh… what? That’s it?” Akko squinted her eyes before heading back to her bed to think. “Her piano sounds a lot better than what you're telling me… Are you sure she isn’t competing internationally or something? Do you know anything about her mentors, any names? What about her repertoire?”

“Eh-h I can’t answer all these questions at once, Akko! Besides the fact that I know she’s a really talented pianist, I can’t really tell you much.” 

Lotte looked to Sucy who completely stopped composing to look at the brunette currently lost in thought laying on her bed.

Akko replied, “Yea… I guess so. I’m gonna have to face off with her eventually. Guess I'll just have to step up my game next time.”

“That’s overly confident, I mean, do you actually want to face up with Luna Nova’s pride and joy?” Sucy commented. 

“Yeah, of course! She’s probably one of the biggest competition I got going for me.”

Sucy’s eyes narrowed, “Uhh… Akko? What about the thousand other pianists that you’re studying with?”

As Sucy and Akko continued to squabble, Lotte, in the background, began to eye her phone.

Akko mumbled, “Yea, I’ve heard them… some sound good, don’t get me wrong! Sarah Bernhardt’s 11th Debussy etude sounded okay, oooh Gaëlle too! She played Ligeti’s “Devil’s Staircase” which sounded nice… too much pedal though.”

Akko wildly gesticulated, facing Sucy.

“Chloé was also not bad, her La Campanella was decent… waaaay too shaky at the end… too many errors. I dunno I guess these people are what you can call “good at the piano”. I’ve seen tons of people like them in competitions, recitals, ya know? But these people are  _ nothing _ like Cavendish. She  _ plays  _ the piano, I can tell, the others just copy the score.” 

Lotte, eyes glued at her phone, stammered before heading for the door, “h-Hey Akko imma be right back I gotta go… to the bathroom… Sucy care to join me?”

“Uhh… sure?”

Lotte pulled Sucy outside of the room.

“What’s up?” Sucy asked.

Once outside the hearing range of their room. Lotte jammed her phone towards Sucy’s face.

** _Who is Atsuko Kagari? A Deep Dive Towards One of America’s Best Pianists._ **

_ Atsuko (Akko) Kagari, a Japanese-American pianist known for her incredulous talent seems to be shrouded in myster… cites Chariot as one of her inspirations… toured all over the United States from her hometown in Los Angeles, California to Boston, Massachu… Her competition experience is impressive as is her seemingly infinite knowledge of repertoire…  _

** _Akko’s Journey to Becoming Not Just “A Pianist” but America’s Pianist._ **

While  _ Akko’s talent cannot be overstated, it’s not just her talent that captivates America. Having competed at several big shot competitions, her seemingly never-ending enthusiasm and charisma woos the hearts of all, while her story strikes at the core of what it means to be American…  _

** _Akko Kagari to Head Over to the Prestigious Luna Nova Academy??_ **

_ Akko Kagari is headed over to international seas as she is determined to make her way over to Europe the only way she knows how. Chasing her idol Chariot Du Nord…  _

** _Atsuko, Now International, Looks for Grandeur in Great Britain._ **

_ Londoners watch out because a new sensation has come to town. Atsuko Kagari has come to reign havoc on the piano world…  _

** _Akko’s Future is Now at the Hands of Luna Nova’s Faculty_ **

_ …Luna Nova is lucky to have such a bright young legend learn at their institution…  _

** _Atsuko. Virtuoso. Genius._ **

_ Her pristine playing cannot be overstated as is her natural talent for the piano…  _

** _“She single-handedly is leading the charge in revitalizing classical music”_ **

** _“She’s superbly talented.” “This is a prodigy!” “An amazing talent…” _ **

**“** ** _Wonderful, melodious, effortless, as if sung by voice.” _ **

** _“She has a bright future ahead of her!”_ **

Sucy looked over at Lotte. 

“Holy shit.” 

“We got ourselves a new Cavendish.”

____

Akko silently contemplated her day as she worried about how she was to exactly get the approval of Professor Du Nord. She understood why her professor acted the way she did in the first place but felt that if she played just a  _ little bit better _ or had  _ one less mistake _ maybe Chariot would have been more apt to teaching her. She was hoping the bombastic nature of the piece would impress her professor but Akko also figured it would take a little bit more than playing ‘Mazeppa’ if she truly wanted to impress Chariot. 

But what exactly will it take? Akko figured Chariot already knows about her legacy over in America, but if that didn’t impress her enough what more could she offer? Such was the dilemma of being a concert pianist… Diana’s words flashed onto Akko’s mind.

_ A musician’s life is one of constant anxiety and stress, but it also is a life that can produce something that transcends beyond words _

Akko disliked just how much Diana’s words so greatly affected her… after all they were to be future rivals. These pesky feelings of attraction would only serve as a distraction for Akko’s true purpose at Luna Nova. But she can’t help but blush every time she imagines those beautiful blue eyes. Listening to Diana play, she can tell why she’s won the favor of the conservatory. Diana's playing was like nothing Akko had ever heard in her entire life, well… other than Chariot. But, she reasons, maybe it's because she’s head over heels for the girl and can’t help but hear her music with a rosy tinge.

The door opened and out came Lotte with her phone out towards Akko as Sucy followed behind.

“Just who exactly are you?” questioned Lotte.

Akko looked at Lotte’s phone screen reading the contents inside and realized it was that embarrassingly overdramatic op-ed piece about herself written a couple of months ago. She looked at the photo of a younger Akko holding up her first-place medal and wondered just how much she’s changed since then.

It’s been a while since she’s last been so occupied with reading all of the articles about her playing. Initially, she felt obligated to read each and every one of them but later she was bogged down by the sheer amount of reading. Also, the occasional negativity and the criticism didn’t help either. While she was flattered that she caught the eye of so many American journalists, even the most vivid and picturesque descriptions of her playing became plastic after the fiftieth article. She always felt her music did most of the talking anyway.

Akko nervously laughed getting up from her bed to face the two, “Ehh… I’m a pianist in America?”

“You’re not  _ just _ a pianist in America, you’re a legend!”

Akko winced at Lotte’s comment. It was true she was talented, but she didn’t want her life in America to affect her studies in Great Britain. She wanted those two lives to remain separate and to have somewhat of a clean slate… But, she supposed it's inevitable that some of it would eventually leak through. 

“Alright… so I’m a professional concert pianist and competitor in America… err not really professional, per se, but decent enough to know what I'm doing. However, I want to get a more formal education though.”

“So you really came to Luna Nova to study under Chariot…”

Akko laughed, “So that’s what the press is talking about nowadays! Man, I wish it was that simple! Yes, I came to Luna Nova to study under Chariot… but that isn’t the half of it.”

Akko walked over to her laptop, brought it back to her bed, and pulled up a webpage, showing it to both Lotte and Sucy. “ _ This _ is why I’m here.”

Lotte peered into the screen of the laptop. The website had a black border, looking slightly older than most modern websites. In the top right corner was an insignia with four letters.

“LNCC?”

“Yep, The Luna Nova Chopin Competition! It’s the next piano competition I'm going to be competing in. But what better way to practice for the competition than with Chariot Du Nord, the pianist who got first place oh so many years ago.” Akko closed her laptop and stood up, “My manager broke her back trying to hide this from the press, I guess she didn’t want other pianists the following suit. I’m not even sure if I'm allowed to even tell this to you.”

“So you’re just here to compete in some competition?” Sucy muttered

“No, no I’m not here  _ just  _ to compete. I’m here to learn, just like you and everyone else in this school. Whether or not I win doesn’t change anything. I want to better myself as a pianist. But the competition is not just  _ any competition _ , this competition is much more than that. The Luna Nova Competition comes around every four years and the first place winner gets $50,000 in prize money.”

Lotte’s eyes widened.

Akko continued, “So pianists from around the world come to Luna Nova specifically to enter and win the $50,000. But one can get only so many tries, four years is a long time ya know? The money is not really what I care about, although it would be nice… What I do care about is the potential recognition winners can get.”

Sucy’s eyebrows started to crease, “Why Luna Nova? There are tons of other, bigger international competitions you can apply for. Why even bother coming and enrolling here, if you’re so amazing?”

“Yes, it’s true that there are other bigger tournaments. But, as I said before, I want to learn, Chariot has inspired so many people including myself and I want the chance to get taught by her. In actuality… I don’t think I’m amazing by any means.”

Akko slumped onto her bed, “I’m not a perfect pianist… in fact, there are probably thousands of other pianists that are better than both Diana and me combined. Sure these articles can talk about my so-called ‘amazing’ playing but I’m just average compared to the rest of the world. Frankly, I don’t know what they see in me, somedays I feel like a fraud putting up a farce. But, I want to keep pushing and proving myself and Luna Nova is perfect for that.”

Teardrops started to pool in her eyes, “To be honest, I’m nervous as hell. I’ve made a complete fool of myself in orientation, this is my first time living outside of the country, and I’ve just had an all-around horrible first week.” 

Lotte and Sucy stared at the teary-eyed girl in front of them.

“I miss California, I miss home, and I don’t know if I can even make it through the first preliminaries for the competition nevertheless the whole damn competition. Top tier pianists from all over the world are all going to come over to give their 100% for this competition. Diana, alone, is gonna be a huge challenge for me to overcome because she alone is such an amazing pianist. ”

Lotte interrupted, “You can do it… if there’s anyone that’s more capable of winning it’s you. I mean, just look at you! You are Atsuko Kagari, the pianist virtuoso of the United States! Be confident in your abilities. Sure, there are thousands of other pianists just as talented as you are, but there’s only one Akko. Look, if you ever need help or support from either of us for your journey here in Luna Nova, just ask and we’ll be there for you.”

Sucy nodded her head in agreement.

Akko blinked her tears away before rushing over to Sucy and Lotte enveloping them in a gigantic bear hug. 

“You guys are the best roommates I could ever ask for…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting super late so forgive me for any typos you might have spotted in the author's notes. 
> 
> I hope you liked the big reveal! Yes, our good friend Akko is apparently a "big shot" in America. 
> 
> I see Akko's character in a lot of talented prodigies in piano. They suffer from what's called imposter syndrome, feeling like they are frauds believing that they don't have what it takes to perform. It's tough being stood up on a pedestal believing you don't actually belong there as you constantly feel like you have to perform your 110% otherwise you might just be exposed as a fake. Akko's own imposter syndrome will be something that we'll explore as the fic continues.
> 
> Today's composer of the day will be György Ligeti. He's an interesting composer, to say the least. 
> 
> Welcome to 20th-century contemporary music! YAY! This is the avant-garde side of music that most people probably scoff at when listening as their first instinct is probably to immediately hate it as to how unorthodox it sounds. But I think the beauty of 20th-century music is in its complexity. It's abstract. It's dense. It sounds like people just slamming their hands on a keyboard.
> 
> But there's a big difference between a child slamming hands on a keyboard versus someone actively deciding to press the keyboard in a certain way with purpose and with intent. It takes a lot more dedication, practice, and work to play a lot of these pieces because you have to be extra careful with your notes as you can't rely on your ears to tell you if you played a wrong note or not. 
> 
> Now getting onto Ligeti. He's one of the few eccentric 20th-century composers that managed to become immortalized in the classical canon. 
> 
> One of his earliest masterpieces written by him in 1953 would be his piano cycle Musica Ricercata a set of eleven pieces each piece all correlated with a simple restriction. Piece no. 1 would have two pitches (A and D), Piece no. 2 would have three pitches (E♯, F♯, G), Piece no. 3 would have four pitches (C, E, E♭, G), and so on... He would play these pitches and vary them in rhythm and how high or low to play the notes to make a whole piece. Pretty amazing stuff.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIs3jechQ_E&list=PL83F7EB21DE4F8B88
> 
> Later on from 1985 to 2001, Ligeti completed three books of Études for piano. The piece Gaëlle played, called The Devil's Staircase is the 13th piece in his second book. 
> 
> His collections of Etudes can be considered one of his major creative achievements in his later decades. Sadly Ligeti wasn't able to finish his third book as he passed away due to illness before completion. 
> 
> Here is a couple of selected Etudes from the bunch.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHhZ2TzHlow
> 
> I think what Ligeti is most well known for would be his orchestral/choral works, mostly due to the fact that they were taken and adapted for film use like in 2001's Space Odyssey or the Shining. It's super out, super wonky, at times hard to listen to, scary, anxious, instills a sense of cosmic horror. I could see why Kubrick (the director of the movie) chose to incorporate his music into the soundtrack of the movie. It really does sound alien. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2o83cSYTpg&t=890s
> 
> Finally, If you really want to go off the deep end with Ligeti, feel free to watch his Opera Le Grand Macabre. Super weird and macabre as the title suggests. It's described as an "anti-anti-opera"... I don't really know how to put it in words... it's simply weird.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS5-A61Ow4s
> 
> Overall there are different sides of Ligeti, certainly not all of Ligeti can be expressed in words and as Akko puts it, "She always felt her music did most of the talking anyway." 
> 
> So you simply have to listen. 
> 
> Again, a huge departure from the Romantic era of music with Liszt. But I figured contemporary 20th-century classical music is still an important part of classical music. It's simply the logical conclusion to where classical could lead. It's extremely abstract, hard to grasp, hard to understand, but once you decide to open up to it, there's a whole new world waiting for you to discover. 
> 
> If anything I'd give his piano works a listen starting with his Musica Ricercata and then open up to his more avant-garde orchestral/choral works... Unless you want a complete acid trip or a good laugh then just go straight to his Opera lmao.
> 
> Anyways thanks for giving me a read... it is now 4:00 am... there goes my sleep schedule lol. I hope you enjoy reading and next week we'll find ourselves still in Akko's shoes but with music that hopefully should be a lot more pleasing to the ears lol. 
> 
> I'll see you on the flip side!


	6. (Akko) Part B: Polyphony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helllllloooooooo yall. Sorry for the late posting. I try to usually post on the weekends, but I wanted to rewrite and edit some portions of this chapter again so I was held back slightly. I do hope you enjoy it!
> 
> But before we begin, I just want to say thank you for your comments, I know I probably sound like a broken record, but it really does excite me to be able to hear your commentary and feedback on something that I really care about and put my heart and soul into. 
> 
> The main piece for this latest installment will be Bach's WTC Bk. 1 Prelude and Fugue no. 15 in G Major.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0P_2QG84MM
> 
> This is probably one of my favorite pieces in Bach's whole Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) collection. This piece emanates a playful and light-hearted energy while also still being considerably virtuosic to perform. I think it's easy to see Bach as this very stern, almost cold composer. But a lot of his works speak volumes in describing the human experience. 
> 
> His music at times can be happy, or sad, or cheerful, or frustrated... While he obviously puts a lot of thought into his music, one must not forget that he also manages to put his own passion and soul into the craft of composition. Bach is a 'human' composer, as in, he writes music that speaks to the very thing that makes us who we are as a species. 
> 
> This very piece showcases a side to Bach that can very easily be glossed over but nonetheless is important in understanding who he is as a musician.
> 
> Also, this piece serves as a little homage to the Your Lie in April manga, as Kousei (the main character) ends up playing this piece in a competition he enters in. I remember way back when the anime was kicking off in popularity there used to be a Youtube video that played the music they were performing alongside pages of the manga. That video was probably one of my favorite things to spend my time on, watching the music unfold alongside the story. However, I can't seem to find that video anymore (it's probably taken down). But on the off chance, it isn't gone, props to anyone that can find it somewhere...
> 
> On the other hand, 
> 
> There is another piece that is mentioned but isn't written about. I frankly wanted to focus on the first piece but if yall were curious about it here is the link feel free to listen to this piece as well.
> 
> Bach: WTC Bk. 2 Prelude and Fugue no. 17 in Ab Major
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7MbZQqVVd0
> 
> Happy Reading!

“All right class, so now that preliminary examinations are over and I've given your written and oral critiques and recommendations, it’s time to really get things started.”

The class groaned as Professor Ursula started up the projector and pulled up a PowerPoint presentation.

“Our curriculum is divided up into four sections, one for each major era of classical music: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. The first era we will be studying is the Baroque period ranging from about the late 1500s to 1750 and we’ll be focused on this era this entire semester up until our midterms in December.”

Chariot looked at the dead faced crowd in front of her and decided to shake things up a bit.

“Okaay… Well, who can tell me three well-known composers of that era as well as basic characteristics of Baroque music.”

Immediately Akko raised her hand, “Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti and basic characters include ornamentation, polyphony and... uhhhhhhh-”

“Terraced dynamics.” Akko swung her head over to Diana who looked over at her with a slight smirk. 

“Excellent job from both of you! Now the Baroque era’s exact time period is up for debate as….”

“I could’ve thought of that...” Akko mumbled. Diana was really getting on her nerves, even if she has the voice of an angel, and even if her playing sounds like heaven decided to fall down on eart-.

_ What am I thinking? _

Akko shook her head awake.

_ We’re competitors. Stay professional. _

Her head turned back to the Professor who was deep in a monologue.

“Well I'm glad you’ve mentioned Bach, Akko. He’s one of the most prolific composers of that era, and we will be focusing on many of his works this quarter.”

She clicked onto the next slide, showcasing a list of pieces. 

** _Well Tempered Clavier:_ **

Book 1: 

  * no.3 in C#, BWV 848; 
  * no.4 in C# minor, BWV 849; 
  * no.7 in Eb, BWV 852; 
  * no.8 in Eb minor, BWV 853; 
  * no.15 in G, BWV 860;
  * no.20 in A minor, BWV 865; 
  * no.24 in B minor, BWV 869

Book 2: 

  * no.3 in C#, BWV 872; 
  * no.4 in C# minor, BWV 873; 
  * no.14 in F# minor, BWV 883; 
  * no.16 in G minor, BWV 885; 
  * no. 17 in Ab, BWV 886;
  * no.18 in G# minor, BWV 887; 
  * no.22 in Bb minor, BWV 891; 
  * no.23 in B, BWV 892; 
  * no.24 in B minor, BWV 893 

“Here is a list of what many consider to be one of Bach’s masterpieces, The Well-Tempered Clavier. Two books, a collection of 24 preludes and fugues written in all 12 major and minor keys. I’ve chosen a few from each book for analysis and it will be from this very list you will find a portion of pieces that your midterms performance recital will cover.”

Akko started scrambling to write down every single piece onto her notebook as Chariot's eyes drifted towards her.

“I’ve made sure to print out the list in the class syllabus so you don’t have to struggle writing down all the pieces…” Akko stopped before blushing as the Professor trudged onwards.

“However, don’t jump the gun yet, as the pieces that you will be performing will ultimately be decided by me so if I were you I would take the time to listen to as many of these pieces as possible, hell, listen to the entirety of the Well-Tempered Clavier if you can. It makes for a great Saturday afternoon. We still got the majority of the semester to go through so don’t fret too much on the specifics.”

The next couple of weeks went by as smoothly as Akko found herself dedicated to immersing herself in Baroque music. Specifically, she found what she deemed as a qualified Spotify playlist on her phone and put it on loop, much to the exasperation of her roommates who’ve had to deal with her incessant humming. 

From the Spanish guitar-like flair of Scarlatti’s Sonatas to the emotive sounds of Spring, Autumn, Winter, and Summer in Vivaldi’s  _ The Four Seasons _ .

From the regal, opulent suites of Handel’s  _ Water Music  _ t o Purcell’s despairing and soul-crushing  _ Dido’s Lament _ .

These pieces would paint a picture to Akko, of a time of experimentation, innovation, and most importantly of the rising belief in music as a tool of communication. 

For Akko, each passing week was spent diligently trying to gain Chariot’s favor. She would raise her hand to nearly every question Chariot would ask, and would never hesitate to volunteer. Much to Akko’s chagrin, it seemed the more she volunteered the less she would get picked. However, her efforts did not go unnoticed.

“Okay class, that ends today’s lecture. As homework for the weekend I need you to listen to two Scarlatti sonatas, from the list I have provided and write up a four-page report, two pages per piece. The instructions are written up on the board, make sure to take a picture before leaving.”

As Akko began to pack up, Chariot walked up to her, “Akko, I want to see you after class.”

Akko’s eyes perked as she quickly finished packing up and waited for the last student to leave the room. 

“Sooo… Professor Du Nord, are you finally admitting to me that you have realized my potential and have decided to take me under your wing?” Akko chided.

Chariot smiled, “No, Akko it’s still not long enough for me to make my decision, however, I do appreciate your enthusiasm. I’ve come to talk to you because I have an assignment for you to complete.” 

Chariot walked over to Akko with a piece of paper:

_ WTC Prelude in G Major no. 15 _

_ WTC Fugue in G Major no. 15 _

_ WTC Prelude in A-flat Major no. 17 _

_ WTC Fugue in A-flat Major no. 17 _

“Forget about the reports on the Scarlatti sonatas, I want you to listen to these four pieces and give me eight pages on Bach. Here are the pieces I want you to listen to as well as instructions for the report, meet me after class on Monday with the finished paper.”

“Ehhhh! That’s sooo much writing, Professor! I have other classes, you know!” Akko groaned.

“You said you would be willing to do anything it takes to have me be your mentor, correct?”

“Hmph… Fine. I’ll get the reports done.”

Chariot smiled.

The reports weren’t impossibly difficult, it’s just that it was a little too dry for Akko’s taste. She really didn’t understand as to why in her  _ performance _ class she had to write up a report. She’d much rather let her ‘hands’ do the talking and play the damn pieces. But she was not going to let eight stupid pages stop her from achieving greatness. She’d go through hell and back if it meant she’d be one step closer to gaining Chariot’s favor. 

So she spent her weekend huddled over her laptop in the Luna Nova Library typing bit by bit her eight pages out. However, as she studied each piece thoroughly she found herself with a newfound connection to the music, intrigued by the intricacies found in each measure.

After a long and hefty weekend, Akko managed to type up her report. Baggy eyed, she came over to Chariot’s office after class. 

“Here are the eight papers you asked for Professor.”

“Thank you for your cooperation, Akko. Now, here’s the next assignment I have for you.

“Wait, that’s not it!?” Akko groaned.

“If you want to quit, you can just ask me to stop.”

“NO-no, okaay fine, what is it you want me to do now?”

“Those four pieces you’ve written on make up a good chunk of the pieces you will be performing for your midterms. I’m going to need you to sight-read to the best of your ability each piece and get to around 75% of the performing tempo by this Friday.”

“But that’s only like four days!?”

“Perfect, a piece a day. If you portion it out correctly, it shouldn’t be that big of a problem.” 

Akko sighed before glaring right into Chariot’s eyes, “All right, Professor Du Nord. Just you wait, I'll get these damn pieces to full tempo if I have to.”

Chariot grinned, "I'll see you on Friday. Good luck."

____

Sight-reading never really was anything troublesome for Akko, the main bulk of her practice sessions over in America really dealt with the nuances and intricate details of the piece, such as dynamics or phrasing, not reading nor memorization.

She wouldn’t say she was the best sight-reader, but she was certainly a damn good one. Reading pieces and memorizing weren’t hard at all for her, but she’s never had to read this many pieces in such a short time. But she knew Chariot was testing her willpower, and she didn’t want to show any signs of weakness as a pianist. Any pianist can whip out a decently memorized rendition of these pieces. But Akko wanted to really prove herself.

Thankfully due to the report, Akko had already given numerous listenings to various interpretations of the piece. After picking a few to take inspiration from, she found that the notes came a lot easier to her and they were sticking to her head like glue.  So she decided on getting the pieces to perfect shape come Friday, rather than just settling for decent quality. Locking herself in the practice room after classes ended, she began working little by little on each piece, only stopping to go out to eat, work on homework, and sleep.

Well, one wouldn’t necessarily call it ‘sleeping’, considering that she would stay up all night and end up knocked out, sprawled in front of the piano. Once awake, she’d then proceed to wash up in the nearby restroom and run to the nearest Starbucks to get a quick breakfast and head over to her next class of the day. 

By the third day Lotte and Sucy, both curious as to the wellbeing of their roommate, went out during the afternoon to bring some food and company, expecting to find Akko playing on the piano. What they didn’t expect was to find her passed out on top of the keys in pure exhaustion. 

“Akko… Akkkoooo” Lotte began to shake the offending corpse. “Wake up, you’ve been out practicing the whole week, we were worried sick.”

“Mmphh… mom?... what is it?...” Akko then opened her eyes realizing she was not in the comfort and safety of her bedroom and was staring right at a red-faced Lotte. 

Akko immediately stood up and fell off of her piano chair. 

“Ouch… how long was I out for?” She checked her phone for the time. “Crap I missed like an hour of practice. Thanks for waking me up I need to get back to the pian-”

“No! Good god, Akko, you have to make sure to not overwork yourself! We know you have a lot on your plate, but you’ve pulled two all-nighters on Monday and Tuesday, and you came into our room at 2:30 am on Wednesday.” Lotte scolded. 

Sucy grabbed onto Akko’s hand and dragged her out of the practice room, making sure to take the keys to the practice room. Much to Akko’s chagrin the two of them manhandled Akko over to a simple grassy knoll. 

Lotte placed down her picnic blanket and a mini basket filled with an array of snacks and sandwiches.

“Sit. Eat.”

“Guys… I don’t have time. I gotta finish up my last piece. I’m almost done memorizing.”

“We know… that’s why we’re here. You still got a couple hours of the day left… surely you can sacrifice one more hour to spend some wonderful bonding time with your, and I quote, ‘best roommates you could ever ask for’.” Sucy chuckled.

Akko sighed… she supposed she could sacrifice some time to gain her energy back for the long practice session that awaited her. 

“Alright… what is it that you guys want.”

Lotte smiled as she handed Akko a sandwich.  “What is it exactly that you’ve been working so hard on?”

Akko took a bite, “Professor Du Nord wants me to learn four Bach pieces in four days, but not before having me write 8 pages of a Bach report. She’s crazy as hell, I’ll tell you.”

Sucy cackled, “Well you can’t have genius without some stroke of madness.”

“She has more than ‘some stroke’, she’s literally painted in it! I’m beginning to think, maybe I'm not cut out for thi-” 

Lotte flicked Akko on the head.  “Stop being so negative, you’ve already gone through three of the four songs right?”  Akko nodded as Lotte continued,  “So you’re almost done! If you weren’t cut out to begin with, you wouldn’t even be halfway done. You’ve maintained a pretty good pace. I think you’re more than capable”

Akko exhaled and faced the two, “I suppose you have a point… still I’m not sure what else she has up her sleeve. But thanks, I appreciate your concern for me.”

The three continued their long-winded discussion as the hour finally came to an end. As Akko finally split off from the two, she was rejuvenated and ready to knock Chariot’s socks off.

____

Friday came along.

“Alright class, see you next week! Make sure to pick up your midterm examination performance rubric.”, Chariot’s voice chirped.

As the class slowly filed out of the room with their papers, Akko walked up to Chariot. 

“Okay Prof. I'm ready.” she stated, walking over to the classroom piano. 

With a nod from the professor, Akko began. 

** _The prelude starts off with a bang as Akko’s fingers rapidly dance across the keys of the piano. Her hands blast off in a blistering tempo as each individual finger jumps up and down in a manic motion. _ **

** _The piece is a scrambled mess of fast arpeggios and intricate scales. Each motion must be precisely contained in order to avoid any slip ups or mistakes. But Akko seems to revel in the challenge, considering the obscenely fast tempo she performs the piece in. _ **

_ Chariot’s eyes raise. _

_ This is unreal! Her technique is incredible! Hmmm I do think the tempo however is a tad bit too fast. Maybe she’s trying to cover up her mistakes in articulation with speed, or is she just trying to show off? _

** _Back and forth both hands switch from long 16th note phrases to quick staccato 8th notes jumps, interweaving together in such a way that the two voices of the piece seem to never leave nor fade away._ **

** _The two hands meld together as they both morph into a passionate duet as the piece transforms the initial subject developing it little by little. Each individual motif found in the beginning is explored and expanded upon. _ **

** _On the other hand, each finger is meticulously monitored, accented in just the right way, to give the illusion of two voices in constant motion._ **

** _Left and right lock together as the piece develops further and further in a ravenous rapture of sound. Long lines of notes leap across ad nauseum. _ **

** _This was a piece that has been practiced for long periods of time relentlessly. Akko's hands play in a precise, proper, manner. Never stopping. Always playing._ **

** _This culminates in a magnificent finale as both left and right hands play together in a rapid succession of descending notes. The piece finally starts to decelerate as Akko’s hands slow to a stop, finally ending with a G Major chord._ **

____

** _With a sharp intake of breath, Akko seamlessly transitions to the fugue as her right-hand sings out a single melody. _ **

** _The theme sways back and forth before leaping into an interval of a seventh twice before it reaches its melodic peak and descending._ **

** _Her left-hand joins in repeating the theme but a fifth lower in a second voice as the right-hand answers in a counter melody. After a brief transition a third voice joins repeating the main subject but an octave lower in tandem with the other two voices. _ **

** _The three voices all sing different melodies. Each voice complements but does not obscure nor fade into the background. Serene and tranquil, like three singers each belting their individual arias. _ **

** _The sound of a group of three friends laughing about sitting on a picnic blanket. The taste of store-bought sandwiches and snacks. The smell of grass and the faint scent of food. An overwhelming feeling of camaraderie and joy. _ **

**The piece begins to develop the main theme and the subsequent counter melodies. In an episodic fashion, the main and counter subjects are fragmented as each individual segment is stretched, inverted, and altered. The piece changes keys, portions of the main subject are restated, and all three voices interact together in a lively manner.**

** _A soft flowing wind tickles a grassy knoll, as autumn leaves drift across._ **

** _Like a gentle breeze do Akko’s hands sway. _ **

Chariot’s eyes light up.

_ Other than the few minute mistakes in phrasing, she’s giving quite literally a near perfect performance. But more importantly… What is this playing? I’ve never heard a pianist play with such emotion and transparency.  _

** _Akko’s hands segregate each individual voice with careful attention. Rather than a wall of sound, the music flows like a river with each individual melody ebbing and flowing alongside one another._ **

** _The recapitulation of the entire piece begins, starting with a held low G in the bass. The main subject is restated one last time as the piece ramps up in tension and dissonance before finally resolving back to the home key. G Major._ **

** _As both hands start to slow, the piano slowly melts and slurs into a steady calm. The piece finally fades, like the prelude with a chord. The music comes to a close._ **

Chariot awoke from her dreamlike trance, trying to maintain a stern expression, but alas she couldn’t help but grin.

“That was wonderfully executed Akko! Now, it’s time for your A-flat major set.”

______

The overall performances weren’t perfect, understandably, as Akko didn’t have the necessary amount of time for polish. But, Chariot figured, it was remarkably well done considering the time constraints, she’s never seen such diligence and determination in a pianist and it really resonated through her playing.

“All right, I’ll give you your written critiques on Monday. But before you go, for my last assignment I’m gonna need you to bring me some coffee before class next week.”

“What does bringing coffee have to do with piano?”

“Oh… no real reason, I'm just craving coffee.” Chariot chuckled, “But jokes aside, I’m going to have you perform one more piece for the midterm alongside your other midterm performance repertoire.”

Akko sighed, “Okay... what will it be this time?”

“A Chopin polonaise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I hope yall enjoyed this latest installment of Reflections in the Water. I originally wrote this chapter quite a while back but I wanted to rewrite some of the sections, especially pertaining to the music, thanks to some guidance I received. It took longer than expected though, hence the late submission.
> 
> As for the next chapter, I think I'm going to put off on posting until the week after next week, mostly due to the fact that I getting to the final stages of my moving out process and I'll be incredibly occupied.  
___
> 
> Let's get onto the music, shall we?
> 
> Today, I think rather than focusing on a specific composer, I'd like to do a showcase on the overall era of Baroque Music. The Baroque era is an artistic movement that spanned the 1600s to around 1750.
> 
> The Baroque era is a time period of exploration and innovation. 
> 
> An important aspect of Baroque music would be the notion that music is a potent tool of communication. This actually was a cause of great controversy and debate.
> 
> Basically the main gist of the controversy depended on whether the music takes precedence over the text or whether the conveying of the meaning of the words in the text through the music surpassed any other concern.
> 
> This notion of music and communication is exemplified with the notion of dissonance. Can dissonance be used to convey emotions found in the text? Or should it be avoided at all costs?
> 
> A good example of dissonance being used in a musical setting would be in Purcell's Opera Dido and Aeneas, more specifically in Dido's Lament. (CW. suicide and death).
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou8A0g_jYyA
> 
> Once the piece kicks off, Purcell uses a descending bassline going down by half steps. This use of what's called chromaticism in music is striking, definitely during the time, and it's used to exemplifying the sinking feeling of death. 
> 
> A personal favorite musical moment of all time for me would be the last line the singer sings "Remember me! But ah! Forget my fate." It's such a soul-crushing melody and it always gets me on the brink of tears. 
> 
> The Baroque period also led to the invention of new specific musical forms. More specifically the concerto and the sinfonia. 
> 
> We already addressed the concerto in an earlier chapter so I'll go straight into the new stuff.
> 
> Basically a Sinfonia is an orchestral piece that serves as an introduction, interlude or ending to a bigger piece (like for instance an Opera). 
> 
> Sinfonias are like mini appetizers to the main course. A rather well-known example of one would be the Sinfonia that accompanies (our boy) J. S. Bach's cantata Ich steh mit einem Fuss im Grabe BWV 156, which roughly translates to "I am standing with one foot in the grave"... o.O spooky.
> 
> The Sinfonia starts off the whole piece as the introduction until around 2:22 where the piece ends and the Cantata begins.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drFcH_WwK7Y
> 
> Alongside innovations with harmony and form, we have the creation of new instruments. 
> 
> NEW FANGALED INSTRUMENTS like Bartolomeo Cristofori's un cimbalo di cipresso di piano e forte. Shortened to pianoforte, fortepiano, and then, later, simply the piano. 
> 
> YES, we have the creation of our instrument of focus... the PIANO, during the period. How fascinating! Other keyboard instruments existed during this time, such as the clavichord or harpsichord. But the main innovation with the pianoforte is that unlike the instruments before (that would pluck strings to make sound) the pianoforte used hammers that banged onto strings. 
> 
> This allowed for the ability to control how loud or soft you would like to play depending on the player's touch. Which is something we tend to take for granted considering the intense detail some composers put into dynamic markings. 
> 
> After all, a key characteristic of Baroque keyboard music is "terraced dynamics" (Thanks Diana). A lot of these instruments didn't have the ability to distinguish between semi-loud and semi-quiet settling for simply quiet (p) or loud (f).
> 
> A great example of keyboard music during this time period (not written by Bach) would be, Italian composer, Domenico Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas. He wrote a gargantuan 555 sonatas which is a CRAZY amount.
> 
> Here's one of my favorite Scarlatti Sonatas (K. 141), performed by the ever-amazing Martha Argerich. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=k+141
> 
> You can really hear the Spanish guitar-like flair to the composition, as he derived a lot of inspiration from the Iberian Peninsula, having lived there for a huge chunk of his life. 
> 
> Overall, the Baroque period is a time of creation and it serves as the starting point for a lot of what many consider "classical music" as the genre. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading! I'll see yall two weeks from now. Happy listening and I'll catch you all on the flipside.


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